Pump



April 22, i930. l.. M. PERSONS PUMP Filed March 5, 1926 Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNITED STATI-:s

PATENTl lOFFICE IILAIIR'EN'CE M. PERSONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO COOK ELECTRIC COM- IPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION' 0F ILLINOISl PUMP Application led March 3,

My invention relates to pumping apparatus for fluid supply systems.

An object of my invention is to provlde a pumping apparatus having an improved type of control capable of use with practically any type of pulsating pump for automata I cally controlling the pumping of any liquid into a su ply tank or receptacle. 4 In Huid) supply systems, particularly those employed to feed liquid fuel, say, to oil burners used for the purpose of heating homes or the like, the oil is pumped from a storage tank, suchV as may be installed on the out side of the building, to a supply tank located in the building or adjacent the burner, and from which the oil flows to the burner. It is obvious that some means of automatic operation is desirable for the pumping apparatus, so that a constant supply will be available for I feeding to the burner from the supply tank.

Considerable attention has been given to such an automatic control because there is a possibility that it will function to pump the entire contents from the storage tank-.into the building in the event a leak occurred, or in the event a siphoning action took place after the system has stopped. On the other hand, oil burning apparatus is expensive and there is a tendency to overlook the installation of automatic pumping apparatus, particularly if itis also expensive.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved form of control, which vmay be associated with-any type of'pump in a fluid supply system, and which embodies all the elements of safety, as well as protects against a siphonic action of the Huid when the pump is stopped. Besides affording greater safety and protection, the control eliminates in an oil burning system the need for a separate' motor for driving the pump. The pump may be located at the burner and driven by the motor thereof, while the control may be located anywhere in the system y and connected through a liquid piston with the pump. l

A more specific object of the invention is to associate with the outlet valve of the suction line, between the storage tank and supply tank, a oat adapted to open the valve 1926. Serial No. 91,913.

companying drawings forming a part hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a fluid supply system employing an improved automatic control embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through the supply tank in which the control is located.

The drawings illustrate my invention embodied in an 011 burning system in which the pumping apparatus pumps oil from a storage tank into a supply tank for the purpose of feeding the oil to the burner.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention is capable of embodiment in practically any type of fluid supply system where safe, economical and automatic operation is desirable. A

In the apparatus shown in the drawings, oil or liquid in the storage tank 5, or other suitable source of supply, is drawn through a suction pipe 6, constituting a suction line, by means of a pump 7 and is discharged into a supply tank or receptacle 8 from which receptacle the oil is fed to burner 10. Burner 10 is preferably of the type employing a motor 11 for driving a blower 12, which blower serves to feed the liquid fuel in an atomized condition to a iire pot 13.

Pump 7 may be of any desirable type and may be connected by coupling 14 to motor 11.l I prefer, however, to employ a pump of the pulsating type.

Pump 7 and receptacle 8 are connected by means of a small tube 15 which transmits power-from the pump in the form of an extended liquid piston to a closed chamber 16 preferably located in receptacle 8. Chamber 16 is closed at its upper end by means of a valve -head 17 which is provided with inlet and outlet valves18 and 19.

Suction pipe 6 enters tank 8 so as to communicate with the inlet passage 20 of valve head 17, over which inlet passage 20, the inlet valve 18 is adapted to be held, so as to alternately open and close this passage with chamber 16 on the pulsating strokes of the liquid piston. Outlet valve 19 operates to openand close the outlet port 21 during the pulsating action of the liquid piston so as to discharge the liquid drawn through ipe 6 on the suction stroke of the pump 7. utlet valve 19 is freely suspended from a link 22, which allows the outlet valve to normally respond to the alternate pulsations of the liquid piston.

A triple acting float 25 may be located in receptacle 8 to control the position of outlet valve 19,'whereby the low of fluid from suction pipe 6 may be controlled so as to maintain a predetermined level in tank 8. Float -25 is adapted to rise and fall on a stem 26 pivotally suspended at 27 to the free end of a lever 28. Lever 28vis loosely pivoted at the points 29 and 30 in slots 31,Iand also pivoted at 32 to the upper end of link 22. A Weight 33 is furnished at the inner end of lever 28. End stops 34 and 35 are furnished on the opposite ends of float stem 26.

In the normal operation of the pumping apparatus the automatic cont-rol serves to permit' oil to be pumped from 'storage tank 5 into receptacle 8 until a predetermined high level is obtained, whereupon loat 25 rises and engages stop 34. Engagement of stop 34 by ioat 25 raises lever 28 about its pivotal mounting 30, thereby lifting outlet valve 19 from its seat and destroying the suction pressure created within chamber 16 by the alternate pulsations of the liquid piston extending through pipe 15 from pump 7. As oil is supplied through pipe 40 to burner 10, the float rides downwardly on stem 26. If the burner is' still operating, the pum -7 idles until float 25 drops to its interme iate position. The valve is then seated and suction pressure is re-established in chamber 16. Pump 7, then,

functions again to draw oil from storage tank 5 and supply it to receptacle 8. At this point, it will be obvious that the house thermostat 40 automatically controls the circuit to motor 11. Hence, motor 11 will continue to operate to drive both the blower and pump 7 while the oat is in its upper position to unseat outlet valve 19 so as to break the suction pressure and temporarily discontinue the *flow from storage tank 5 into the receptacle 8 but although the pump is driven at this time, it becomes effective to pump liquid only Awhen the outlet valve 19 is again seated by the falling of the float to intermediate position.

As long as float 25I remains in its intermediate position, oil will flow from storage tank 5 into receptacle 8. Obviously if pipe 40 is ruptured or springs a leak While the burner is operating and the pump 7 is being driven by motor 11, oil will be emptied from tank 8 at a greater rate than the normal How and thereby cause float 25 to drop to its lower position. The weight of float 25 against stop 35 moves stem 26 downwardly. This action pivots lever 28 about its other pivot point 29 and raises valve'19 from its seat. Suction pressure created by pump 7 in chamber 16 through the liquid piston in pipe 15 is immediately destroyed. Flow ofoil through pipe 6 also ceases and no more oil ,is delivered to tank 8 until the pipe 40 is repaired, although the burner may be operating and the pump 7 maybe driven -by motor 11.

By locating tank 8 at a point above storage tank 5, it is impossible for a siphonic action to occur when the system is shut down. In the event that valve 19 tends to stick to its seat and allow a continued pumping action of the uid from storage .tank 5 into receptacle 8, an overflow pipe 41 is Jfurnished to drain back the excess oil into storage pipe 5.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that a novel form of automatlc control, embodying the essential features of safel burner motor and the control to be placedv anywhere between the burner and the storage tank. The mechanism disclosed, while automatic in its operation, prevents pumping` of the contents of storage tank 5 into the building should a leak occur in the pipe 40.

- Other modifications, arrangements and embodiments of the present invention may be obtained without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

. I claim:

1. -In a uid supply system, the combination of a source of supply, a receptacle, a lpump for pumping uid from said source of supply into said receptacle, and a control associated therewith comprising a closed chamber communicating with said source of supply and said pump, and an outlet valve for said chamber adapted to. be held in open position when the liquid in said receptacle reaches predetermined high and low'levels.

2. In afluid supply system, the combination of a source of supply, a receptacle, a pump for pumping fluid from said source of supply into said receptacle, a fluid piston extending between said pump and sald receptacle whereby the pulsations of said pump function to pump Huid from said source of suppl a valve governing the admission of the druid into said receptacle, and

pumping of fluid to said receptacle when the rate of discharge is greater than the rate at which the fluid is supplied to said receptacle.

3. In auid sup ly system, the combination of a source o supply, a receptacle, a pump for pumping fluid from said source of supply into said receptacle, a Huid piston extending between said pump and said receptacle whereby the'pulsations of said pump function to pump iiuid from said source of supply, a valve governing the admission of the fluid into said receptacle, and a float disposed in said receptacle adapted to hold said valve in open position when the rate of discharge is greater than the rate at which the 'luid is supplied to the receptacle.

4. In a fluid supply system, the combination of a source of supply, a receptacle located at a point substantially above the source of'supply; a pump, av liquid piston extending from said pump to said receptacle, and mechanism for controlling said liquid piston wherebyto discontinue the pumping of fluid into said receptacle when the Huid reaches predetermined highv or low levels.

5. In a fluid supply system, the combination of a source of supply, a receptacle, a pump, a liquid piston extending from said pump to said receptacle, and oat actuated means adapted to release the suction pressure of said liquid piston when the liquid insaid receptacle reaches an upper level, to establish the suction pressure when the liquid reaches an intermediate level, and to release the suction pressure when the liquid reaches a lower level.

6. The combination of a oat, a valve adapted to be operated by said float, and a pivotal connection between said float and said valve causing said float to unseat said valve when the fioat is in upper and lower positions.

l7. The combination of a float, a valve adapted to be operated by said float, and a connection between said floatand said valve so arranged that said Hoat will unseat said valve when the float is in upper and lower positions.

8. The combination of a oat, a valve adapted to be operated by said ioat, and a connection between said float and said valve so arranged that sai'd oat will operate said valve when the float is in its upper and lower positions.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LAWRENCE M. PERSONS. 

